| |
| |
|
Marketing Information |
|
|
|
To Be Successful Sell to Wants not Needs
My mother used to tell me, tongue in cheek, that I never wanted anything in my life- everything I asked for was something I needed!! Think about it. We say, "I need a new car." "I need to go on vacation." "I need someone to clean my house." When was the last time you heard someone say, "I want a new pair of shoes." I bet even Amelda Marcos said, "I need a new pair of shoes." As consumers we justify our purchases, at least in our own minds, as being something we need. As business owners, selling our products or services, we have been lulled into believing that customers are buying from us because they need what we have to offer. We are trying to meet the needs of our customers instead of focusing on meeting their wants. If customers made purchase decisions based on need we would all be driving Model Ts and Henry Ford would have been right, "The customer can have any color he wants so long as it's black." People may buy a product category due to need. However, they purchase a specific brand or from a certain company based on wants. In other words, needs define the total market and wants define the market segments. For example, people buy a watch because they need to know what time it is. One person buys a Rolex because they want the status and prestige associated with owning a Rolex while someone else buys a Timex because they want dependability inexpensively. It is often much easier to see the role wants play in purchase decisions when we're talking about consumer products. However, the concept is equally at play even in the business to business environment. Decision makers in the business world are the same people that are buying based on wants in the consumer world. And no matter how logical the surface justification for need is, the factor(s) that tip the purchase scale are going to be wants. Several years ago I needed to select an ad agency to develop brochures and ads for the company I worked for. There were thousands of agencies across the country and hundreds within the market where I was that could have met that need. I wanted someone local who was big enough to handle the projects but was small enough that I would be a major client for them. It was those wants that drove my selection decision. Someone else in my position may have wanted to work with the biggest and most prestigious agency that would have taken their business. That person would have selected a totally different agency to meet the same basic need. To successfully market your product or service, identify a segment of the population that has the need for your product but whose wants are not being met or are not being met well. Ask yourself these questions: * What wants are my competitors filling? * How can I meet a different set of wants? * Does (or could) my product or service meet wants in the areas of speed, affordability, ease of access or use, level of service, prestige, or dependability better than my competitors? Then design your marketing message to address these wants. (c) 2003 Strategies-by-DESIGN. May be reprinted with credits and contact information. Julie Chance is president of Strategies-by-DESIGN, a Dallas based firm that helps businesses from professional service firms to specialty retailers Map A Path to Success by developing marketing strategies that attract leads and turn those leads into loyal customers. For more information or to sign up for their free marketing tips newsletter go to http://www.strategies-by-design.com or call 972-701-9311.
MORE RESOURCES:
Marketing - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
At the Speed of Light How many times has someone you've called said, "Why don't you send me some information on your company"?Ask yourself, before you send anything: How will this be dealt with once it arrives at that person's desk. Aren't they already suffering from information overload? On the one hand, people say they they need more information in order to make the decision just to meet with you, let alone to agree to buy or hire. Marketing Yourself and Your Business to Thriving! We all watch the commercials on TV. We hear them on the radio. Understanding Survey Software Features If you take a look at the features that different survey softwares offer, you will quickly realize that understanding all of them is no mean task. But it is very important that you do because only then you can choose the right survey software. Create A Business Card That Sells and is Effective Why does your business need a business card?Business card is a powerful piece of card handed out to your clients or given to you by someone which has all that information in such a small space. Business cards are an important part of any business and that gives a first impression of your business to anyone. 5 Ways To Entice Your Parallel Market to Trade Links Lots of people get confounded when attempting to exchange links, you're not alone. The people who have the spot you want are competitors. 5 Ways to Use Your Business Cards More Effectively Contrary to popular belief, the best use of business cards is not making origami or collecting dust. But, in this article you will find 5 of the most effective ways to use your business cards on a daily basis!When Joe Girard, the world's greatest salesman, was selling cars he would frequently go to Detroit Lions football games. 20 Power Marketing Tips Use these powerful yet simple tips from the national best-seller, "Secrets of Power Marketing: Promote Brand You" - the first guide to personal marketing for non-marketers.Create and grant an annual award. Lack Of Business Isnt Always The Problem When you're just starting out in business, it's a safe bet that you need more clients. But what if you have been up and running for a while, and you're still not making as much money as you would like? You may be in the habit of thinking that attracting new clients is the answer, but this isn't always the case. Business Card Design - How to Stand out and Get Noticed One of the most powerful, yet over looked weapons in your marketing arsenal is your business card. If designed properly this little 3 x 2. Why Smart People Dont Know How to Market As an educated professional, your success is based on what you know, your education, your intelligence, and your creativity. Even if you're just starting out, you've achieved success just to get your many degrees and pass those licensing exams! Your clients return and refer because you apply your expertise and insight to guide them to appropriate answers for their unique situations. What Does It REALLY Take to Be Making 6-Figures as a Service Professional? Over the past 30 years, I've read so much on how to makemoney that I know I can write a series of books on thetopic, books that would cut through the junk and you don'thave to buy 101 things for each area. Most of the information repeats itself -- same author,different title and packaging or different author repeatingsomeone else's list. Stretching The String: Five Tips To Maximize Your Marketing When You Are On A Shoe String Budget "I know I need to market my business in order to grow my business, but right now I can't afford it."I have heard this statement numerous times from business owners that are struggling to stay in business. The Power Of A Story If you want your marketing to be effective, you absolutely must connect emotionally with your prospects. And one of the best ways to do that is by telling a story. Forget Conventional Marketing - Embrace the Web! Tactical marketing processes are once again undergoing fundamental shifts from traditional to web-based processes. Many traditional marketing firms/agencies are still touting the tried and true to their clients; i. Has the Internet Killed Off the Direct Mail Baron? Over the past 30 years, direct mail has been responsible for generating vast amounts of money for businesses and individuals alike, but is it still an effective means of marketing?The short answer, in the short term, is yes. But the Internet has without doubt diluted the power of pen on paper and will continue to do so, until only a few die-hard individuals and the glossy brochure brigade, are left to pick the bones of an industry once plump and ripe for plucking and plundering. Why Trying to Get the Appointment Can be a Recipe for Dis-Appoinment Why Trying to "Get the Appointment" Can be a Recipe for Dis-AppoinmentLast week, this e-mail from Jack arrived in my inbox:To: Ari Galper From: Jack Subj.: Help! I need to get more appointments Dear Ari,I've just coined a new disease for the medical books, and I'm hoping you can help me cure it. Top Five Tips For Designing Marketing Strategies That Get Results "But this won't work" said Steve. "I've tried it in the past and had no response. Renting Your Mailing Lists to Others RESOLVING THE "PROPRIETARY" DILEMMA.. The Easiest Small Business Direct Marketing Tip You'll Ever Get This really and truly is the easiest (and most profitable) small business direct marketing tip you'll ever get. And when I say easy? I really mean EASY. Copy SoapNet and Make Money Whether you want to admit it or not, soap operas may hold the key to your home business success. This article includes a few home and small business principles I learned while watching SoapNet.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |